TAKING a look at SICHUAN TAKINS!

    2022-08-31 by Sichuan International Communication Center

    又到了

    大熊猫国家公园广元唐家河片区

    四川羚牛集群下山的壮观时节

    ……

    It's time for Sichuan takins to swarm down the mountain in Tangjiahe Area of Guangyuan Branch of the Giant Panda National Park.

    8月28日,大熊猫国家公园广元唐家河片区蔡家坝上坝里草坡上的摄像头捕捉到十几头四川羚牛集群觅食的场景,这也意味着唐家河的四川羚牛们开始从高海拔地区往低海拔区域迁移了。来到国家公园的生态访客们可以在步道上、丛林里、公路边近距离偶遇国家一级重点保护野生动物了……

    On August 28, a dozen of Sichuan takins was captured by a camera on the grassy slope of Caijiaba in the National Park, which means that Sichuan takins in Tianjiahe have started migrating from high altitude to low altitude areas. Visitors in the National Park can encounter national wildlife under the first-class protection on footpath, in the jungle and along the road...

    视频中我们看到的四川羚牛是一个家族群,有颈部金黄毛色、身体后部黑褐色毛发的成年雄性1只,有上一产仔季节出生的不足6月龄、体毛黑褐色的小牛5只,有个体毛色灰白色、角明显且笔直的2-4岁的亚成体1-2只,个体毛色灰白的成年雌性2-3只。

    The Sichuan takins in the video is a family group including 1 adult male with golden yellow hair on its neck and dark brown hair on the back; 5 calves less than 6 months old with dark brown body hair born in the last calving season; 1 or 2 subadults aged 2-4 years with individual grayish white hair and straight horns, and 2 or 3 adult females with individual grayish white hair.

    四川羚牛有独特的托儿所行为,即雌性四川羚牛将幼仔集中起来由一两只成年四川羚牛进行照管。这些幼仔包括当年的初生幼仔或者前一年的亚成体。这种托儿所行为有助于减少群体中其他个体的能量付出。

    Sichuan takins have a unique nursery behavior. The females gather their babies, including the newborns or subadults born last year, together to be cared for by 1 or 2 adult Sichuan takins. It helps to reduce the energy expenditure of other individuals in the group.

    四川羚牛又叫扭角羚,是国家一级重点保护野生动物,IUCN红色名录中的易危物种,也是横断山脉—喜马拉雅的特产动物。大熊猫国家公园广元唐家河片区内的四川羚牛属四川亚种,也是唐家河区内体型最大的野生食草动物。唐家河被公认为是我国乃至世界四川羚牛遇见率最高的热点区域,大约1300只四川羚牛在这里繁衍生息。

    Sichuan takins are national wildlife under the first-class protection and a threatened species on the IUCN Red List. They're also a specialty of the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains. Sichuan takins in the National Park belong to the Sichuan subspecies, and are the largest wild herbivores in Tangjiahe Area. Tangjiahe is recognized as the hotspot with the highest encounter rate of Sichuan takins in China, even around the world, and about 1,300 Sichuan takins thrive here.

    四川羚牛与大部分山地动物一样,有随季节迁移的习性。每年的7月、8月,四川羚牛会爬升到海拔3000米以上的高山地带发情求偶。这段时间也是低海拔地区牛虻等蚊虫最猖狂的时候。

    Sichuan takins, like most mountain animals, have a habit of migrating with the seasons. In July and August each year, they climb to high mountain areas at the altitude of over 3,000 meters for rutting and courtship. This is also the time when mosquitoes such as gadflies are most rampant at lower altitude areas.

    然而也有一部分四川羚牛会固执地留在一个海拔带不做垂直迁移,所以在不同的季节,从海拔900米到海拔3500米的山地,都能见到其分布。植物在低海拔萌发以及9月份高海拔霜冻来临时,四川羚牛主要选择在低海拔的河谷杂灌林和低山灌丛活动。

    However, there are also some Sichuan takins that stubbornly stay in one altitude zone without vertical migration, so they can be found in mountainous areas from 900 meters to 3500 meters above sea level in different seasons. When plants are sprouting at lower altitude areas and when the high-altitude frosts come in September, Sichuan takins mainly choose to move to the low altitude areas.

    四川羚牛食谱广泛,喜食各种植物的叶片、嫩枝、竹叶,食量很大。在食物匮乏的冬春季,四川羚牛还会用牙齿刮食树皮。经研究观察发现四川羚牛舔盐习性非常显著,并存在季节性。

    Sichuan takins eat a lot and omnivorously, preferring leaves, shoots and bamboo leaves of various plants. In winter and spring when food is scarce, Sichuan takins also scrape the bark of trees with their teeth.Studies suggest that the salt-licking habit of Sichuan takins is very significant and seasonal.